Composition 106 is the first class I took online since I’ve attended the University of Michigan –Dearborn. I took this class online because I thought I would be able to work on the assignments whenever I wanted, without having to go to class or interfering with my other classes. However, I found out later on that the amount of time I spent on composition was more than my other class. This was not convenient to me because I thought it defeats the whole purpose of why I took it online in the first place. Nevertheless, I learned a lot of things throughout the semester. For example, I didn’t know how to do a screen capture, or to design a text into different fonts and where to even download new font styles. I thought that yes technology does have a great impact on our lives and education, but assignments such as Module II, broadened my perspective on how technology affects college students and education.
I liked the visual advocacy project a lot because we had the opportunity to choose our topic, and it was personal. I didn’t think that pictures and images could truly convey such a strong message. Not only that. I never really wrote an essay or told a story or showed a problem through pictures. This assignment gave us a break from simply writing and writing papers, and to be creative at the same time. If I had the opportunity to go back and work on this assignment again, I would like to make the time between each picture longer, choose more pictures, and add sound. However, we were limited to 30 seconds so that limited the amount of pictures I included in the slideshow.
Another assignment that I really liked was the summary of the academic articles. Again, this assignment reflected not only subjects we like to discuss, but also our careers. Reading the journal articles at the library also helped me stay updated with current events in the global business world. I would like to go back and work on this assignment, and add more articles, and discuss the topic on a deeper level.
I’m not sure what will become of my “blog” after this class. I think I will keep it for the time being, because I think some of the work will help me with my communications classes. I think it’s nice to look back and reflect on the work I have done from time to time. Overall, this semester was great, and even though it was time consuming, the learning outcomes were helpful.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Microserfs: Response 3
Roza Abdulridha
Professor Yerks
Comp 106
14 December 2008
Microserfs: Geeks of The 90s and People Today
Why do you think Coupland's characters speak in computer jargon, and use technical expressions to describe their lives and environment? How does this compare to your experiences of the workplace and home? What effect does this way of speaking have on others?
The author of the novel, “Microserfs,” Douglas Coupland, presents his characters to speak in such computer jargon language to distinguish this societal group of geeks from the rest of society. Geeks have extremely high IQ’s and are different. In a way, they over think and analyze things. For example, Karla mentions how North America is running out of area codes. “ ‘There’s only two or three left, and they’ll be gone soon enough…we’ve exhausted our supply of numbers’” (Coupland 79). Dan asks her what her point is, and she mentions that soon there will be eight-digit numbers. However, she goes on to explain a theory, where “most humans can only remember five digits at most…So the chances are that phone numbers will be broken up into four and four, for easier memorization” (Coupland 79). In today’s lifestyle and environment, people discuss issues such as politics, goals in life, relationships, and more social topics. It seems to me that discussing area codes is extremely random, and only attentive, high IQ people, like Karla, would discuss such a topic.
Dan’s mother asks what the difference between a “nerd” and a “geek” is. He replies, “It’s tougher than it seems. It’s subtle. Instinctual. I think geek implies hireability, whereas nerd doesn’t necessarily mean your skills are 100 percent sellable. Geek implies wealth” (Coupland 173). I was amazed when I read this quote because to me, the difference between the two is that a nerd is a bookworm, and a geek is a techie. This group of geeks analyzes things on a deeper level, whereas in today’s society, people analyze issues on a surface level. It is interesting to understand how geeks think and speak because they put value and thought into what they say, whereas because today’s society speaks so generally, our conversations do not have mere importance and value.
Upon exchanging Christmas gifts, Susan gave everyone handmade gift baskets, “which made all of us feel cheep” (Coupland 208), as Dan noted. Michael then whispered to Dan, “handmade presents are scary because they reveal that you have too much free time” (Coupland 208). Geeks believe that spending time and thought into making a gift for someone is unusual, and time must be occupied efficiently. To them it is simply easier just to buy a gift. In today’s society, however, people are concerned with presenting a thoughtful gift; whether handmade or bought. If someone presented me with a handmade gift that I liked, then I would be thankful for it and not make a fuss that it is handmade.
The computer jargon language geeks speak in, and the random topics they discuss and do is a mere reflection on how that particular societal group behaved during the American lifestyle of the 90s. It is a way for the reader to compare his or her society to that of the 90s; regardless of the time period the novel is read.
Works Cited
Coupland, Douglas. Microserfs. New York: ReganBooks, 1996.
Professor Yerks
Comp 106
14 December 2008
Microserfs: Geeks of The 90s and People Today
Why do you think Coupland's characters speak in computer jargon, and use technical expressions to describe their lives and environment? How does this compare to your experiences of the workplace and home? What effect does this way of speaking have on others?
The author of the novel, “Microserfs,” Douglas Coupland, presents his characters to speak in such computer jargon language to distinguish this societal group of geeks from the rest of society. Geeks have extremely high IQ’s and are different. In a way, they over think and analyze things. For example, Karla mentions how North America is running out of area codes. “ ‘There’s only two or three left, and they’ll be gone soon enough…we’ve exhausted our supply of numbers’” (Coupland 79). Dan asks her what her point is, and she mentions that soon there will be eight-digit numbers. However, she goes on to explain a theory, where “most humans can only remember five digits at most…So the chances are that phone numbers will be broken up into four and four, for easier memorization” (Coupland 79). In today’s lifestyle and environment, people discuss issues such as politics, goals in life, relationships, and more social topics. It seems to me that discussing area codes is extremely random, and only attentive, high IQ people, like Karla, would discuss such a topic.
Dan’s mother asks what the difference between a “nerd” and a “geek” is. He replies, “It’s tougher than it seems. It’s subtle. Instinctual. I think geek implies hireability, whereas nerd doesn’t necessarily mean your skills are 100 percent sellable. Geek implies wealth” (Coupland 173). I was amazed when I read this quote because to me, the difference between the two is that a nerd is a bookworm, and a geek is a techie. This group of geeks analyzes things on a deeper level, whereas in today’s society, people analyze issues on a surface level. It is interesting to understand how geeks think and speak because they put value and thought into what they say, whereas because today’s society speaks so generally, our conversations do not have mere importance and value.
Upon exchanging Christmas gifts, Susan gave everyone handmade gift baskets, “which made all of us feel cheep” (Coupland 208), as Dan noted. Michael then whispered to Dan, “handmade presents are scary because they reveal that you have too much free time” (Coupland 208). Geeks believe that spending time and thought into making a gift for someone is unusual, and time must be occupied efficiently. To them it is simply easier just to buy a gift. In today’s society, however, people are concerned with presenting a thoughtful gift; whether handmade or bought. If someone presented me with a handmade gift that I liked, then I would be thankful for it and not make a fuss that it is handmade.
The computer jargon language geeks speak in, and the random topics they discuss and do is a mere reflection on how that particular societal group behaved during the American lifestyle of the 90s. It is a way for the reader to compare his or her society to that of the 90s; regardless of the time period the novel is read.
Works Cited
Coupland, Douglas. Microserfs. New York: ReganBooks, 1996.
Microserfs: Response 2
Roza Abdulridha
Professor Yerks
Comp 106
14 December 2008
Microserfs: Technology and The American Lifestyle
What do you think Coupland is saying when he includes random information, random keyboard hits and snatches of gossip amongst the journal and e-mails?
In his novel, “Microserfs,” Douglas Coupland presents the American lifestyle of the 90s and the prediction of the future of technology through Dan’s subconscious files, the journal, and the emails. There is a perception of humans, where “we can no longer create the feeling of an era…of time being particular to one spot in time” (Coupland 75). As Dan inserts this thought into his subconscious file, Coupland conveys the message of the reality of technology in our culture, and foreshadows that technology will soon overpower the world. Humans created technology and it is advancing at a quick pace, which is called progression. What is important, however, is that humans are allowing this advance in society, and that one day, technology might be ahead of us humans. Dan concludes his theory of machines being a human’s subconscious with, “ ‘we made them ourselves. So machines can only be products of our being’” (Coupland 228). Michael reassures Dan of his belief in progress by saying, “ ‘if you can conceive of humans developing a consciousness more complex than their own, then…you believe in progress’” (Coupland 183). The message of technological progression in the future was foreshadowed as soon as computers developed, and it is a message that will continue to be seen. Last but not least, the random keyboard hits that are inserted into Dan’s subconscious file foreshadow technology’s ability in the future. They convey the message that computers will become extremely advanced and humans will be capable of inserting any information into it that will be stored for later use. In other words, entries such as “Melrose Voyager Melrose Voyager ‘press pound now…’” (Coupland 336), are subjects that the computer will know everything about in the future simply by typing in the keyword in search engines, just like today’s Google.
The gossip in the novel conveys the American lifestyle of geeks during the 90s. When Todd hacked into the system and created “Rumor Meister”, gossip among the group immediately go out of hand. They discovered gossip such as, “16) Karla thinks she’s a summer but she’s really a fall…24) Michael’s shirt smell like Gerbil pee” (Coupland 202). Geeks are so dependent on their computers, that only they would actually type gossip into their computers, and only a geek, like Todd, would actually create a system to hack into it. This is unlike typical social groups non-geeks associate with, where gossip is simply shared within people face-to-face, rather than on the computer. Coupland presents an aspect of American lifestyle, the geeks, and technology advancement to readers because it is not a typical lifestyle of the 90s that many commonly conveyed or discussed.
Works Cited
Coupland, Douglas. Microserfs. New York: ReganBooks, 1996.
Professor Yerks
Comp 106
14 December 2008
Microserfs: Technology and The American Lifestyle
What do you think Coupland is saying when he includes random information, random keyboard hits and snatches of gossip amongst the journal and e-mails?
In his novel, “Microserfs,” Douglas Coupland presents the American lifestyle of the 90s and the prediction of the future of technology through Dan’s subconscious files, the journal, and the emails. There is a perception of humans, where “we can no longer create the feeling of an era…of time being particular to one spot in time” (Coupland 75). As Dan inserts this thought into his subconscious file, Coupland conveys the message of the reality of technology in our culture, and foreshadows that technology will soon overpower the world. Humans created technology and it is advancing at a quick pace, which is called progression. What is important, however, is that humans are allowing this advance in society, and that one day, technology might be ahead of us humans. Dan concludes his theory of machines being a human’s subconscious with, “ ‘we made them ourselves. So machines can only be products of our being’” (Coupland 228). Michael reassures Dan of his belief in progress by saying, “ ‘if you can conceive of humans developing a consciousness more complex than their own, then…you believe in progress’” (Coupland 183). The message of technological progression in the future was foreshadowed as soon as computers developed, and it is a message that will continue to be seen. Last but not least, the random keyboard hits that are inserted into Dan’s subconscious file foreshadow technology’s ability in the future. They convey the message that computers will become extremely advanced and humans will be capable of inserting any information into it that will be stored for later use. In other words, entries such as “Melrose Voyager Melrose Voyager ‘press pound now…’” (Coupland 336), are subjects that the computer will know everything about in the future simply by typing in the keyword in search engines, just like today’s Google.
The gossip in the novel conveys the American lifestyle of geeks during the 90s. When Todd hacked into the system and created “Rumor Meister”, gossip among the group immediately go out of hand. They discovered gossip such as, “16) Karla thinks she’s a summer but she’s really a fall…24) Michael’s shirt smell like Gerbil pee” (Coupland 202). Geeks are so dependent on their computers, that only they would actually type gossip into their computers, and only a geek, like Todd, would actually create a system to hack into it. This is unlike typical social groups non-geeks associate with, where gossip is simply shared within people face-to-face, rather than on the computer. Coupland presents an aspect of American lifestyle, the geeks, and technology advancement to readers because it is not a typical lifestyle of the 90s that many commonly conveyed or discussed.
Works Cited
Coupland, Douglas. Microserfs. New York: ReganBooks, 1996.
Microserfs: Response 1
Roza Abdulridha
Professor Yerks
Comp 106
14 December 2008
Microserfs: A Visual Art
Many people have used visual images in their writings to reinforce their messages. In what ways does Coupland use text-based visual art to good effect in Microserfs? At what point does his book become a visual art rather than a literary art experience?
In his novel, “Microserfs,” author Douglas Coupland uses text-based visual art to allow the reader to feel the realm, attitude, and perspective of the novel itself and not just as a literary content. He does so by assigning a different font style for emails, Dan’s diary entries, as well as random entries into the “subconscious file.” Coupland uses these fonts to create a moving and real script, where the reader can place him or herself in the novel, and at the same time take the reader back to the time period of the 1990s.
There is a standard font that is used for the general content of the novel; including conversations. However, to distinguish a conversation about Shiatsu between Karla and Dan and an email between Dan and Abe, Coupland uses a bold typewriter style font. When the reader comes across an email between Abe and Dan, he or she can visualize the appearance of this email on Dan’s PowerBook. The reader can also easily track the progress of these emails as if he or she is receiving these emails with Dan. At one point through the emails, Dan realizes that “Abe’s email is getting more frequent and more personal” (Coupland 186). The reader can skim through the pages and spot any bolded typewriter style font and recognize that it corresponds to an email from Abe, just as Dan can view these messages on his computer. In addition to the emails, the copy and paste of the words “money” and “machine” on an entire page to the reader is seen as a screen shot of the document while Dan typed the words in.
Another font style used is the bigger font bolded words that Dan inserts into his subconscious file. As Dan stares at his PowerBook, he wonders, “ ‘what’s going through their heads?’” (Coupland 44). Thus whenever a reader comes across a page filled with random big font bolded words; he or she can just envision this subconscious file with these words typed into it as if the screen is in front of him or her. The novel becomes a visual art beginning at the point where Dan creates his subconscious file.
These font styles that Coupland uses create a moving and real novel, where the reader experiences the events as Dan does; whether receiving an email from Abe or inserting words into the subconscious file. As a result, the reader can sense how technology operated during the 1990s because the text that used is similar to that used when computers were first created.
Works Cited
Coupland, Douglas. Microserfs. New York: ReganBooks, 1996.
Professor Yerks
Comp 106
14 December 2008
Microserfs: A Visual Art
Many people have used visual images in their writings to reinforce their messages. In what ways does Coupland use text-based visual art to good effect in Microserfs? At what point does his book become a visual art rather than a literary art experience?
In his novel, “Microserfs,” author Douglas Coupland uses text-based visual art to allow the reader to feel the realm, attitude, and perspective of the novel itself and not just as a literary content. He does so by assigning a different font style for emails, Dan’s diary entries, as well as random entries into the “subconscious file.” Coupland uses these fonts to create a moving and real script, where the reader can place him or herself in the novel, and at the same time take the reader back to the time period of the 1990s.
There is a standard font that is used for the general content of the novel; including conversations. However, to distinguish a conversation about Shiatsu between Karla and Dan and an email between Dan and Abe, Coupland uses a bold typewriter style font. When the reader comes across an email between Abe and Dan, he or she can visualize the appearance of this email on Dan’s PowerBook. The reader can also easily track the progress of these emails as if he or she is receiving these emails with Dan. At one point through the emails, Dan realizes that “Abe’s email is getting more frequent and more personal” (Coupland 186). The reader can skim through the pages and spot any bolded typewriter style font and recognize that it corresponds to an email from Abe, just as Dan can view these messages on his computer. In addition to the emails, the copy and paste of the words “money” and “machine” on an entire page to the reader is seen as a screen shot of the document while Dan typed the words in.
Another font style used is the bigger font bolded words that Dan inserts into his subconscious file. As Dan stares at his PowerBook, he wonders, “ ‘what’s going through their heads?’” (Coupland 44). Thus whenever a reader comes across a page filled with random big font bolded words; he or she can just envision this subconscious file with these words typed into it as if the screen is in front of him or her. The novel becomes a visual art beginning at the point where Dan creates his subconscious file.
These font styles that Coupland uses create a moving and real novel, where the reader experiences the events as Dan does; whether receiving an email from Abe or inserting words into the subconscious file. As a result, the reader can sense how technology operated during the 1990s because the text that used is similar to that used when computers were first created.
Works Cited
Coupland, Douglas. Microserfs. New York: ReganBooks, 1996.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Module III--Draft revisions
I went back and re-read each article and noticed that the article “The China Dream Revisited,” was not from a scholarly journal! I was left with only a one-paragraph draft after deleting the summary of the China article. I felt I accomplished nothing! This is the most evident revision to my draft; I had to search for two more articles once again. I actually had a difficult time choosing the two articles from Proquest because I wanted to read all of them! To make the elimination process easier, I simply chose the most recent articles. Then, as I skimmed through a few of them, I noticed a trend in the subject –other than the general topic of Foreign Affairs and international relations. I noticed that each article had ties with trade and relations to the United States, and not just the country’s own economic growth and affairs. I finally chose an article about China developing energy relationships with the US and another that discussed Germany’s relationship with Russia, and how incorporating Russia into the European Union could be unfavorable to relations with the US.
After summarizing each of the two articles, I went through my draft one more time, and this time; I changed the introductory paragraph to tie in the trend I noticed of the relationship to the US. I revised some grammatical errors and sentence structures from the article about Brazil. I had so much to write, I was trying so hard to stay close to 700 words, but I couldn’t help but go over. As to my conclusion, I pictured the geographic locations of the countries and thought, the struggle to build trade relationships seems to be between the East and the West, and worked around that thought to conclude my summary.
After summarizing each of the two articles, I went through my draft one more time, and this time; I changed the introductory paragraph to tie in the trend I noticed of the relationship to the US. I revised some grammatical errors and sentence structures from the article about Brazil. I had so much to write, I was trying so hard to stay close to 700 words, but I couldn’t help but go over. As to my conclusion, I pictured the geographic locations of the countries and thought, the struggle to build trade relationships seems to be between the East and the West, and worked around that thought to conclude my summary.
Module III: Annotated Bibliography
Annotated Bibliography
Alexander Rahr. "Germany and Russia: A Special Relationship. " The Washington Quarterly 30.2 (2007): 137-145. Research Library. ProQuest. University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI. 17 Nov. 2008
This article discusses Germany’s role as a mediator in European-Russian relations, where the question lies whether to incorporate Russia into the European Union, or form an alliance only with the United States.
Juan de Onis. "Brazil's Big Moment. " Foreign Affairs 87.6 (2008): 110-122. ABI/INFORM Global. ProQuest. University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI. 12 Nov. 2008
This article discusses Brazil as an emerging economic power. Juan de Onis discusses the key resources in Brazil and how the country is reaching out to the East and West and strengthening relations.
Zha Daojiong, Hu Weixing. "Promoting Energy Partnership in Beijing and Washington. " The Washington Quarterly 30.4 (2007): 105. Research Library. ProQuest. University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI. 17 Nov. 2008
This article discusses the energy assumptions that both the United States and China hold against each other that has put a hold to Chinese-U.S. relations. These assumptions must be put aside, and action plans rather than talks must be put into consideration.
Alexander Rahr. "Germany and Russia: A Special Relationship. " The Washington Quarterly 30.2 (2007): 137-145. Research Library. ProQuest. University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI. 17 Nov. 2008
This article discusses Germany’s role as a mediator in European-Russian relations, where the question lies whether to incorporate Russia into the European Union, or form an alliance only with the United States.
Juan de Onis. "Brazil's Big Moment. " Foreign Affairs 87.6 (2008): 110-122. ABI/INFORM Global. ProQuest. University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI. 12 Nov. 2008
This article discusses Brazil as an emerging economic power. Juan de Onis discusses the key resources in Brazil and how the country is reaching out to the East and West and strengthening relations.
Zha Daojiong, Hu Weixing. "Promoting Energy Partnership in Beijing and Washington. " The Washington Quarterly 30.4 (2007): 105. Research Library. ProQuest. University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI. 17 Nov. 2008
This article discusses the energy assumptions that both the United States and China hold against each other that has put a hold to Chinese-U.S. relations. These assumptions must be put aside, and action plans rather than talks must be put into consideration.
Module III--Final Draft
Foreign Affairs: Talks between the East and West
Foreign affairs are an important aspect of my International Studies major, and typical talks mostly deal with world powers such and the United States and Europe. However, spotlights of international relations with the US and world economic growth is on countries I didn’t expect could emerge as powers. Brazil, China, and Russia are key players in international talks—more than anyone could expect.
In his article, “Brazil’s Big Moment,” Juan de Onis asserts that Brazil will be next in line to be the powerful economic democracies of the world. He supports his position first by giving a brief synopsis of the features that are the key to Brazil’s economy growth, which include; expanded exports, oil discoveries, financial stability, low inflation, growing foreign and domestic investment, booming consumer demand, as well as others. Secondly, he explains that the key driver of this economic transition after a long period of political instability, is the current president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, also known as Lula, where he “pledged to honor contracts, respect private property, exercise fiscal discipline, and pay off Brazils’ foreign debt” (de Onis 109). Last but not least, Onis suggests possible ways that the United States and Brazil can build international and business relationships, especially with the new administration that is to take over in January, as well as the upcoming presidential elections in Brazil. In addition, compared to a world economic power such as China, Brazil is clearly growing at a fast rate and is catching up to the Eastern powers. Despite the current economic crisis of the world, countries such as Brazil and its nationalistic citizens look forward to future foreign relations with regards to trade. With Brazil’s economic advancement and growth, there is hope for future international relations with the United States. Meanwhile, the United States should consider energy partnerships with China.
In their article, “Promoting Energy Partnership in Beijing and Washington,” authors Zha Daojiong and Hu Weixing stress that “as the world’s second-largest and largest consumers of oil, respectively, China and the Unites States are becoming more sensitive to each other’s pursuit of energy sources from other countries,” thus “energy security has ironically become a necessary agenda item in Chinese-U.S. relations” (Daojiong and Weixing 105). There are a few tensions that have weakened this relationship, one of which the United States has been an important supplier to China of Kerosene in the past, however those trade ties came to an end during World War II. In addition, as domestic consumption increased in China, oil trade decreased, thus driving away foreign oil investments.
There seems to be misleading perceptions from both sides, where the United States views China’s foreign energy supply as part of its plan to build its power. Chinese analysts view the United States to use oil as a weapon against China, due to the United States’ historical control of oil production worldwide. Thus China engages in oil investments wherever access is possible in order to meet its demand, as it did with Sudan and Ethiopia, resulting in international political and social risks. These assumptions must be put aside and instead of Chinese-U.S. energy “talks”, an action plan must be put in place in order to establish energy security for these two giant oil consumers.
As the United States ponders upon future trade and investments with developing countries such as China and Brazil, the European Union is in a dilemma whether to include Russia as part of the European Union (EU) and risk relations with the US. In his article “Germany and Russia: A Special Relationship,” Alexander Rahr emphasizes the EU’s suspicions of Russia’s role after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The country stags behind the world in economic growth, yet is a key dependent country of oil production. Germany along with France has long been with good relations with Russia, yet this incorporation would require majority vote from the EU countries. The problem lies with the fact that the EU looks for “foreign affairs, economic cooperation, interior security aspects, and cultural issues” (Rahr 139) as far as international relations. Thus the EU has more in common with the United States rather than Russia. Another important issue is that the EU fears Russia siding with China against the west, by creating a gas exporting organization in Eurasia, thus weakening relations with both Europe and the US. Russia will become a strong influence in the future, however the EU fears that it would “collapse if world energy prices go down” (Rahr 144).
There is a sense of pride in one’s country and its resource and production potential. There is an intense coalition between the East and the West, and with whom to side with. However, in a culturally and technologically advanced society we live in today, there needs to be cooperation and positive talks on a global and international scale in order for the United States, Europe and the eastern counties to overcome the world economic crisis.
Foreign affairs are an important aspect of my International Studies major, and typical talks mostly deal with world powers such and the United States and Europe. However, spotlights of international relations with the US and world economic growth is on countries I didn’t expect could emerge as powers. Brazil, China, and Russia are key players in international talks—more than anyone could expect.
In his article, “Brazil’s Big Moment,” Juan de Onis asserts that Brazil will be next in line to be the powerful economic democracies of the world. He supports his position first by giving a brief synopsis of the features that are the key to Brazil’s economy growth, which include; expanded exports, oil discoveries, financial stability, low inflation, growing foreign and domestic investment, booming consumer demand, as well as others. Secondly, he explains that the key driver of this economic transition after a long period of political instability, is the current president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, also known as Lula, where he “pledged to honor contracts, respect private property, exercise fiscal discipline, and pay off Brazils’ foreign debt” (de Onis 109). Last but not least, Onis suggests possible ways that the United States and Brazil can build international and business relationships, especially with the new administration that is to take over in January, as well as the upcoming presidential elections in Brazil. In addition, compared to a world economic power such as China, Brazil is clearly growing at a fast rate and is catching up to the Eastern powers. Despite the current economic crisis of the world, countries such as Brazil and its nationalistic citizens look forward to future foreign relations with regards to trade. With Brazil’s economic advancement and growth, there is hope for future international relations with the United States. Meanwhile, the United States should consider energy partnerships with China.
In their article, “Promoting Energy Partnership in Beijing and Washington,” authors Zha Daojiong and Hu Weixing stress that “as the world’s second-largest and largest consumers of oil, respectively, China and the Unites States are becoming more sensitive to each other’s pursuit of energy sources from other countries,” thus “energy security has ironically become a necessary agenda item in Chinese-U.S. relations” (Daojiong and Weixing 105). There are a few tensions that have weakened this relationship, one of which the United States has been an important supplier to China of Kerosene in the past, however those trade ties came to an end during World War II. In addition, as domestic consumption increased in China, oil trade decreased, thus driving away foreign oil investments.
There seems to be misleading perceptions from both sides, where the United States views China’s foreign energy supply as part of its plan to build its power. Chinese analysts view the United States to use oil as a weapon against China, due to the United States’ historical control of oil production worldwide. Thus China engages in oil investments wherever access is possible in order to meet its demand, as it did with Sudan and Ethiopia, resulting in international political and social risks. These assumptions must be put aside and instead of Chinese-U.S. energy “talks”, an action plan must be put in place in order to establish energy security for these two giant oil consumers.
As the United States ponders upon future trade and investments with developing countries such as China and Brazil, the European Union is in a dilemma whether to include Russia as part of the European Union (EU) and risk relations with the US. In his article “Germany and Russia: A Special Relationship,” Alexander Rahr emphasizes the EU’s suspicions of Russia’s role after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The country stags behind the world in economic growth, yet is a key dependent country of oil production. Germany along with France has long been with good relations with Russia, yet this incorporation would require majority vote from the EU countries. The problem lies with the fact that the EU looks for “foreign affairs, economic cooperation, interior security aspects, and cultural issues” (Rahr 139) as far as international relations. Thus the EU has more in common with the United States rather than Russia. Another important issue is that the EU fears Russia siding with China against the west, by creating a gas exporting organization in Eurasia, thus weakening relations with both Europe and the US. Russia will become a strong influence in the future, however the EU fears that it would “collapse if world energy prices go down” (Rahr 144).
There is a sense of pride in one’s country and its resource and production potential. There is an intense coalition between the East and the West, and with whom to side with. However, in a culturally and technologically advanced society we live in today, there needs to be cooperation and positive talks on a global and international scale in order for the United States, Europe and the eastern counties to overcome the world economic crisis.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Module III--Draft
As I was looking through the scholarly journals at the library, I was confused on which issue or topic to settle on; intercultural communication or foreign affairs? Then, I glanced at each journal and spotted the title “Brazil’s Big Moment.” I have been hearing many talks about Brazil these days and decided to further investigate what the country has to offer.
In his article, “Brazil’s Big Moment,” Juan de Onis asserts that Brazil will be next in line to be the powerful economic democracies of the world. he supports his position first by giving a brief synopsis of the features that are the key to Brazil’s economy growth, which are; expanded exports, oil discoveries, financial stability, low inflation, growing foreign and domestic investment, booming consumer demand, and so on; second, by explaining who is the key driver of this economic transition, and that is the current president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, also known as Lula; and lastly by affirming his argument, suggesting possible ways that the United States and Brazil can build international and business relationships, especially with the new administration that is to take over in January, as well as the upcoming presidential elections in Brazil. His purpose is to motivate readers, whether they are students, investors, grandparents, that there is hope in improving the economic crisis of the world, and there are countries, such as Brazil, who are nationalistic people and look forward to future foreign relations with regards to trade. The author’s writing seems persuasive, credible, and compassionate and stresses Brazil’s colonial and authoritarian past and its strong growth as a democracy.
The article compares Brazil’s GDP to that of China. Onis mentions, “China’s GDP grows at ten percent annually…Brazil’s growth rate is only five percent...China…invests at an annual rate of 40 percent of GDP and the government consumes only 14 percent. In Brazil, investment is 18 percent of GDP and government consumption is nearly 20 percent.” Compared to a world economic power, Brazil is clearly growing at a fast rate and is catching up to the Eastern powers. Thus I noticed another article that addresses China’s economy.
In his article, Joe Studwell reflects on arguments he made with regards to a book he wrote in 2002, about the travails of foreign investors in China in the 1990s. He revisits his arguments to prove why China does not take over the world by categorizing them into three columns; first, the young and foolish, where he argues that China’s capital banking and exchange controls are unfair to the Chinese citizens as well as unattractive to foreign investors. Studwell argues, “the only sure result of an open capital account for a developing country is to improve stock market returns for international investors.” He also compares the financial systems of post-communist China to Korea and Japan and views them as being crude and monolithic. Secondly, under the could be better column, Studwell discusses state industrial policy, where China would have not developed as well as it has in the past twenty five years if it weren’t for the non-state sector industries. Yet China’s continuous control on big industries in the state sector has shrunk the shares of exports accounted for by foreign firms each year since 1980. This raises the main questions; will Chinese big businesses dominated by government oversight achieve technological advances like the privately owned ones in Japan and Korea? Studwell seems to think that China will not keep up with its Northeast Asian competitors.
Last but not least, under the actually correct column, he reiterates his book’s main concept that, “an economy’s stock of foreign direct investment is a guide to its future competitiveness.” He shuns the “let the market rip” approach that other countries such as Malaysia adopted in order to attract foreign firms “to somehow ‘make local business competitive’ work.” China’s consent to the World Trade Organization has given it limited access to foreign markets.
From reading these two articles, there is a sense of pride in one’s country and its resource and production potential. With successful and positive approaches to globalization and the foreign maker, I foresee a further coalition between the East and West.
In his article, “Brazil’s Big Moment,” Juan de Onis asserts that Brazil will be next in line to be the powerful economic democracies of the world. he supports his position first by giving a brief synopsis of the features that are the key to Brazil’s economy growth, which are; expanded exports, oil discoveries, financial stability, low inflation, growing foreign and domestic investment, booming consumer demand, and so on; second, by explaining who is the key driver of this economic transition, and that is the current president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, also known as Lula; and lastly by affirming his argument, suggesting possible ways that the United States and Brazil can build international and business relationships, especially with the new administration that is to take over in January, as well as the upcoming presidential elections in Brazil. His purpose is to motivate readers, whether they are students, investors, grandparents, that there is hope in improving the economic crisis of the world, and there are countries, such as Brazil, who are nationalistic people and look forward to future foreign relations with regards to trade. The author’s writing seems persuasive, credible, and compassionate and stresses Brazil’s colonial and authoritarian past and its strong growth as a democracy.
The article compares Brazil’s GDP to that of China. Onis mentions, “China’s GDP grows at ten percent annually…Brazil’s growth rate is only five percent...China…invests at an annual rate of 40 percent of GDP and the government consumes only 14 percent. In Brazil, investment is 18 percent of GDP and government consumption is nearly 20 percent.” Compared to a world economic power, Brazil is clearly growing at a fast rate and is catching up to the Eastern powers. Thus I noticed another article that addresses China’s economy.
In his article, Joe Studwell reflects on arguments he made with regards to a book he wrote in 2002, about the travails of foreign investors in China in the 1990s. He revisits his arguments to prove why China does not take over the world by categorizing them into three columns; first, the young and foolish, where he argues that China’s capital banking and exchange controls are unfair to the Chinese citizens as well as unattractive to foreign investors. Studwell argues, “the only sure result of an open capital account for a developing country is to improve stock market returns for international investors.” He also compares the financial systems of post-communist China to Korea and Japan and views them as being crude and monolithic. Secondly, under the could be better column, Studwell discusses state industrial policy, where China would have not developed as well as it has in the past twenty five years if it weren’t for the non-state sector industries. Yet China’s continuous control on big industries in the state sector has shrunk the shares of exports accounted for by foreign firms each year since 1980. This raises the main questions; will Chinese big businesses dominated by government oversight achieve technological advances like the privately owned ones in Japan and Korea? Studwell seems to think that China will not keep up with its Northeast Asian competitors.
Last but not least, under the actually correct column, he reiterates his book’s main concept that, “an economy’s stock of foreign direct investment is a guide to its future competitiveness.” He shuns the “let the market rip” approach that other countries such as Malaysia adopted in order to attract foreign firms “to somehow ‘make local business competitive’ work.” China’s consent to the World Trade Organization has given it limited access to foreign markets.
From reading these two articles, there is a sense of pride in one’s country and its resource and production potential. With successful and positive approaches to globalization and the foreign maker, I foresee a further coalition between the East and West.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Module II: Response to Article II
Article II: "MySpace and Facebook: Applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to Exploring Friend-Networking Sites --By: John Raacke and Jennifer Bonds-Raacke
The authors of the article ""MySpace and Facebook: Applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to Exploring Friend-Networking Sites" conduct an experiment to evaluate "(a) why people use these friend-networking sites, (b) what the characteristics are of the typical college user, and (c) what uses and gratifications are met by using these sites" (Raccke 169). The participants of the experiment are 116 college students. They were given a questionnaire packet that has two parts: Part I is for those who answered "yes" to having an account on MySpace or Facebook, and Part II is for those who answered "no" to having an account. Of those surveyed, eighty-seven percent had an account and 12.9 percent did not have an account on either social-network.
Each part is then divided into four sections. Those who answered “yes” were asked further questions such as why they have the account, how many times a day do they go on the account, etc. Results showed that ninety-six percent of users have a MySpace or Facebook account “to keep in touch with old friends.” Results also indicated that users who had an account spend an average “1.46 hours on their accounts and 1.10 hours on others’ accounts” (Raccke 171). They were also asked what are the reasons for those who do not have an account. 70.3 percent said they do not have a desire to have an account, and 60.4 percent said they probably think it is a waste of time.
Those who did not have accounts were asked similar questions. 73.3 percent do not have an account because they do not have the desire to have one. They were also asked what are the reasons for those who have an account. Results show that 93.3 percent think users have an account to keep in touch with friends and meet new people.
The authors conducted this research to show evidence for the drive of technology in today’s society. Communicating through social networks seems to be the way of keeping in touch with friends. Results of the experiment clearly show that those who do use these social networks are primarily from the younger age group rather than the older crowd.
I personally have a Facebook profile to keep in touch with my friends and family from oversees. However, I log on to Facebook once or twice a week, and spend about an hour each time I log on. I do not completely depend on this social network to communicate with people –that is why the phone is invented!
Yes our society has become dependent on technology, and yes the youth are more likely to have accounts on such social networks, but we cannot be blamed for being hooked on to these websites because they were created for us and therefore will be utilized. In addition, the creators of these websites essentially make a profit from this business. If you notice, the right side of Facebook contains advertisements, just like google. The creators of Facebook are simply making money from this business and they will clearly make it interesting and attractive for the college students.
The authors of the article ""MySpace and Facebook: Applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to Exploring Friend-Networking Sites" conduct an experiment to evaluate "(a) why people use these friend-networking sites, (b) what the characteristics are of the typical college user, and (c) what uses and gratifications are met by using these sites" (Raccke 169). The participants of the experiment are 116 college students. They were given a questionnaire packet that has two parts: Part I is for those who answered "yes" to having an account on MySpace or Facebook, and Part II is for those who answered "no" to having an account. Of those surveyed, eighty-seven percent had an account and 12.9 percent did not have an account on either social-network.
Each part is then divided into four sections. Those who answered “yes” were asked further questions such as why they have the account, how many times a day do they go on the account, etc. Results showed that ninety-six percent of users have a MySpace or Facebook account “to keep in touch with old friends.” Results also indicated that users who had an account spend an average “1.46 hours on their accounts and 1.10 hours on others’ accounts” (Raccke 171). They were also asked what are the reasons for those who do not have an account. 70.3 percent said they do not have a desire to have an account, and 60.4 percent said they probably think it is a waste of time.
Those who did not have accounts were asked similar questions. 73.3 percent do not have an account because they do not have the desire to have one. They were also asked what are the reasons for those who have an account. Results show that 93.3 percent think users have an account to keep in touch with friends and meet new people.
The authors conducted this research to show evidence for the drive of technology in today’s society. Communicating through social networks seems to be the way of keeping in touch with friends. Results of the experiment clearly show that those who do use these social networks are primarily from the younger age group rather than the older crowd.
I personally have a Facebook profile to keep in touch with my friends and family from oversees. However, I log on to Facebook once or twice a week, and spend about an hour each time I log on. I do not completely depend on this social network to communicate with people –that is why the phone is invented!
Yes our society has become dependent on technology, and yes the youth are more likely to have accounts on such social networks, but we cannot be blamed for being hooked on to these websites because they were created for us and therefore will be utilized. In addition, the creators of these websites essentially make a profit from this business. If you notice, the right side of Facebook contains advertisements, just like google. The creators of Facebook are simply making money from this business and they will clearly make it interesting and attractive for the college students.
Module II: Questions
Article V: Gender Differences in “Social Portraits” Reflected in MySpace Profiles
1. The authors mention that the Internet Web sites, “allow examination of how individuals display their identities in the form of online personal profiles, a form of ethnography”. What are the possible factors and influences (i.e. social, demographical etc) that allowed for this trend to occur in our society?
2. Male and female gender roles have changed over time. How have they changed and affected the Gender difference in MySpace profiles?
3. The results of the experiment reveal that, “online data sources manifest identity formation…in which females are dependent on others for their sense of self.” Do you agree or disagree with the author’s experiment and results? Why or why not?
4. The article mentions that, “the phenomenon of women revolving their lives around men is still prevalent but is being displayed in new manner.” Does such a phenomenon exist in the first place and how does its display “in the new manner” affect a woman’s identity and behavior in the real world (such as in the work force or at home).
5. Does the result of the experiment make the woman today weak and without an identity? Explain your reasoning.
1. The authors mention that the Internet Web sites, “allow examination of how individuals display their identities in the form of online personal profiles, a form of ethnography”. What are the possible factors and influences (i.e. social, demographical etc) that allowed for this trend to occur in our society?
2. Male and female gender roles have changed over time. How have they changed and affected the Gender difference in MySpace profiles?
3. The results of the experiment reveal that, “online data sources manifest identity formation…in which females are dependent on others for their sense of self.” Do you agree or disagree with the author’s experiment and results? Why or why not?
4. The article mentions that, “the phenomenon of women revolving their lives around men is still prevalent but is being displayed in new manner.” Does such a phenomenon exist in the first place and how does its display “in the new manner” affect a woman’s identity and behavior in the real world (such as in the work force or at home).
5. Does the result of the experiment make the woman today weak and without an identity? Explain your reasoning.
Module II: Experiment
Experiment:
Results from the MySpace experiment show that women depend on others for their sense of self. Can such results apply to all online social-networking websites such as Facebook, the dating website Eharmony, job search engines, etc? The experiment conducted will be similar to that of MySpace, only this time elaborating more on exactly what to monitor on the individuals’ profiles.
Who: 15 males and 15 females
Where: Facebook, Eharomony, and job search engines
What: Monitor their profiles and collect data on the following:
1. Note trends in conversations; how long they are, types of comments the users leave, conversation starters.
2. Which gender mentions his or her significant other in their profile (whether in the “About Me” or “Interest” sections?
3. What are the patterns of gender status (such as single, married, looking for a relationship, in a relationship, etc)?
4. What are the age groups of the users
5. Is there a connection between ages and results from 1-3.
When: Collect data for fourteen consecutive days
Why: To determine whether women’s identity is largely determined by the men in their lives and if the results concur throughout all online social-networking websites.
How: Create a new, or use an existing profile account to monitor people in a particular social network who are friends, or are friends of friends of the profile user.
Once data is collected, compare and contrast results from the various online networks. Take into consideration trends and percentages and determine whether results from the MySpace experiment are consistent with the
Results from the MySpace experiment show that women depend on others for their sense of self. Can such results apply to all online social-networking websites such as Facebook, the dating website Eharmony, job search engines, etc? The experiment conducted will be similar to that of MySpace, only this time elaborating more on exactly what to monitor on the individuals’ profiles.
Who: 15 males and 15 females
Where: Facebook, Eharomony, and job search engines
What: Monitor their profiles and collect data on the following:
1. Note trends in conversations; how long they are, types of comments the users leave, conversation starters.
2. Which gender mentions his or her significant other in their profile (whether in the “About Me” or “Interest” sections?
3. What are the patterns of gender status (such as single, married, looking for a relationship, in a relationship, etc)?
4. What are the age groups of the users
5. Is there a connection between ages and results from 1-3.
When: Collect data for fourteen consecutive days
Why: To determine whether women’s identity is largely determined by the men in their lives and if the results concur throughout all online social-networking websites.
How: Create a new, or use an existing profile account to monitor people in a particular social network who are friends, or are friends of friends of the profile user.
Once data is collected, compare and contrast results from the various online networks. Take into consideration trends and percentages and determine whether results from the MySpace experiment are consistent with the
Individualism in the Digital Age: Module II
Roza Abdulridha
Comp 106
Professor Yerks
October 30, 2008
Women’s reliance on men: Does it question her identity?
Since the dawn of life, women have been viewed inferior to men. The gender differences have long been a significant aspect of society. Yet as this society we live in becomes dependent on technology, the gender differences has become embedded into technology and the Internet. Thus the new way of associating with gender differences comes from online social networks.
Authors Melissa Joy Magnuson and Lauren Dundes of the article, “Gender Differences in “Social Portraits” Reflected in MySpace Profiles,” conduct an experiment by looking at different MySpace profiles “to determine if females’ identities posted online revolve more around their significant others than do males’ identities” (Dundes & Magnuson 240). Results revealed “online data sources manifest identity formation consistent with traditional gender roles in which females are dependent on others for their sense of self” (Dundes & Magnuson 239).
The question addresses whether such results in fact make a woman today weak and without an identity. The answer is a simple no. First and foremost, the identity formation stage of a woman validates why such actions occur; secondly, results of the experiment are generalized because gender excludes other categories such as age, race, class etc; last but not least, the image of the alpha male trumps society to this day thus making any actions carried out by women to be dependent on, or inferior to men.
A woman goes through emotional stages throughout her life to find her inner self. According to the Helm’s model, “women achieve a more positive gender identity by abandoning societal stereotypes regarding womanhood and by adopting their own internal definitions of womanhood” (Constantine). There are four stages to this theory; Pre-Encounter, Encounter, Immersion –Emersion, and finally Internalization. “During stage one, Pre-Encounter, the woman conforms to societal views about gender. She thinks and behaves in ways that devalue women and value men” (Boisnier). It is not wrong for a woman to be reliant on a man because she needs reassurance from the opposite sex in order to help her find inner self. “Stage two, Encounter, results from new information or experiences that make being a woman more salient, which causes the woman to question accepted values and beliefs” (Boisnier). Truth can best be found by questioning all possibilities, even if it means a woman doubting herself. “Stage three, Immersion-Emersion, is characterized by the idealization of women and the rejection of male-supremacist views of women in search of a positive self-affirmation of womanhood. In Internalization, the final stage, the woman fully incorporates into her identity her own positive view of what it means to be a woman” (Boisnier). The womanist theory helps the woman find her inner self and how she comes about to shape her identity. Stages one and two of this theory are especially critical and validate why women are reliant on others for their sense of self. It is merely a process a woman undergoes, just like men undergo a stage of their own to find their manlihood.
The use of gender in the MySpace experiment excludes categories such as age, race, class, and cultural background. “In China, the predominant difference is not between male and female but between insider and outsider (Marececk 17). The experiment fails to include women of different cultural backgrounds, moral views, and other factors that could affect the outcome of the results. It is very unlikely for a Middle Eastern woman to mention she has a significant other on such public networks because if she does date, she keeps it in secrecy in order to protect her reputation.
Results from the experiment suggest that fourty-three percent of males mentioned their significant other zero times (Dundes & Magnuson 239). The alpha male image validates such a result because men do not open up –especially not to the public—about their personal life. If they do, then anyone can tap into their inner self and sensitivity, thus losing their alpha male image. Therefore men must conform to this image at all times, even on online profiles.
“Exaggerating women’s difference from men fosters the view of woman as the Other…this distancing and alienating view of women by the dominant male culture opens the way to treating women as objects” (Marececk 38). The treatment of women as objects is a validation as to why more women make available to the public viewers of MySpace she is married or has a boyfriend. These social networks are created for the public, therefore, a woman might mention she is with someone of is married is to avoid dangers such as black-male and harassment. That being said, women can be relying on men for personal protection and not just emotional attachment and finding her inner self.
Shirley Chisholm once said; “The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says, "It's a girl."” Traditional families expected their first child to be a boy in order to carry on the family heir, name, and so on. If the first child is a girl, the wife is immediately blamed --when the male is the one who determines the sex of the fetus. Even though society treated woman as inferior to men, there is sense of expectation no matter how independent, powerful, and intelligent a woman is. She is stereotyped from the moment she opens her eyes. Even as technology advances, women are still looked upon differently than men. However, relying on her significant other for her sense of self does not make a woman weak and without an identity because the identity formation stage suggest that women undergo such a process in order to find her identity thus this reliance is a temporary rather than a permanent stage. In addition, using gender as a factor excludes age, race, and background. Last but not least, the alpha male image always did and will trump society and women will always be looked upon differently.
Works Cited
Boisnier, Alicia D. "Race and women's identity development: distinguishing between feminism and womanism among Black and White women." Sept. 2003. Springer Link. 30 Oct. 2008.
Constantine, and Madonna. "Cultural congruity, womanist identity attitudes, and life satisfaction among African American college women attending historically black and predominantly white institutions." Mar. 2002. American College personnel Association. 30 Oct. 2008.
Dundes, Lauren, and Melissa J. Magnuson. "Gender Differences in "Social Portraits" Reflected in MySpace Profiles." Cyber Psychology & Behavior 11 (2008): 239-41.
Hare-Mustin, Rachel T. Making a Difference : Psychology and the Construction of Gender. Ed. Jeanne Marecek. New York: Yale UP, 1992.
Comp 106
Professor Yerks
October 30, 2008
Women’s reliance on men: Does it question her identity?
Since the dawn of life, women have been viewed inferior to men. The gender differences have long been a significant aspect of society. Yet as this society we live in becomes dependent on technology, the gender differences has become embedded into technology and the Internet. Thus the new way of associating with gender differences comes from online social networks.
Authors Melissa Joy Magnuson and Lauren Dundes of the article, “Gender Differences in “Social Portraits” Reflected in MySpace Profiles,” conduct an experiment by looking at different MySpace profiles “to determine if females’ identities posted online revolve more around their significant others than do males’ identities” (Dundes & Magnuson 240). Results revealed “online data sources manifest identity formation consistent with traditional gender roles in which females are dependent on others for their sense of self” (Dundes & Magnuson 239).
The question addresses whether such results in fact make a woman today weak and without an identity. The answer is a simple no. First and foremost, the identity formation stage of a woman validates why such actions occur; secondly, results of the experiment are generalized because gender excludes other categories such as age, race, class etc; last but not least, the image of the alpha male trumps society to this day thus making any actions carried out by women to be dependent on, or inferior to men.
A woman goes through emotional stages throughout her life to find her inner self. According to the Helm’s model, “women achieve a more positive gender identity by abandoning societal stereotypes regarding womanhood and by adopting their own internal definitions of womanhood” (Constantine). There are four stages to this theory; Pre-Encounter, Encounter, Immersion –Emersion, and finally Internalization. “During stage one, Pre-Encounter, the woman conforms to societal views about gender. She thinks and behaves in ways that devalue women and value men” (Boisnier). It is not wrong for a woman to be reliant on a man because she needs reassurance from the opposite sex in order to help her find inner self. “Stage two, Encounter, results from new information or experiences that make being a woman more salient, which causes the woman to question accepted values and beliefs” (Boisnier). Truth can best be found by questioning all possibilities, even if it means a woman doubting herself. “Stage three, Immersion-Emersion, is characterized by the idealization of women and the rejection of male-supremacist views of women in search of a positive self-affirmation of womanhood. In Internalization, the final stage, the woman fully incorporates into her identity her own positive view of what it means to be a woman” (Boisnier). The womanist theory helps the woman find her inner self and how she comes about to shape her identity. Stages one and two of this theory are especially critical and validate why women are reliant on others for their sense of self. It is merely a process a woman undergoes, just like men undergo a stage of their own to find their manlihood.
The use of gender in the MySpace experiment excludes categories such as age, race, class, and cultural background. “In China, the predominant difference is not between male and female but between insider and outsider (Marececk 17). The experiment fails to include women of different cultural backgrounds, moral views, and other factors that could affect the outcome of the results. It is very unlikely for a Middle Eastern woman to mention she has a significant other on such public networks because if she does date, she keeps it in secrecy in order to protect her reputation.
Results from the experiment suggest that fourty-three percent of males mentioned their significant other zero times (Dundes & Magnuson 239). The alpha male image validates such a result because men do not open up –especially not to the public—about their personal life. If they do, then anyone can tap into their inner self and sensitivity, thus losing their alpha male image. Therefore men must conform to this image at all times, even on online profiles.
“Exaggerating women’s difference from men fosters the view of woman as the Other…this distancing and alienating view of women by the dominant male culture opens the way to treating women as objects” (Marececk 38). The treatment of women as objects is a validation as to why more women make available to the public viewers of MySpace she is married or has a boyfriend. These social networks are created for the public, therefore, a woman might mention she is with someone of is married is to avoid dangers such as black-male and harassment. That being said, women can be relying on men for personal protection and not just emotional attachment and finding her inner self.
Shirley Chisholm once said; “The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says, "It's a girl."” Traditional families expected their first child to be a boy in order to carry on the family heir, name, and so on. If the first child is a girl, the wife is immediately blamed --when the male is the one who determines the sex of the fetus. Even though society treated woman as inferior to men, there is sense of expectation no matter how independent, powerful, and intelligent a woman is. She is stereotyped from the moment she opens her eyes. Even as technology advances, women are still looked upon differently than men. However, relying on her significant other for her sense of self does not make a woman weak and without an identity because the identity formation stage suggest that women undergo such a process in order to find her identity thus this reliance is a temporary rather than a permanent stage. In addition, using gender as a factor excludes age, race, and background. Last but not least, the alpha male image always did and will trump society and women will always be looked upon differently.
Works Cited
Boisnier, Alicia D. "Race and women's identity development: distinguishing between feminism and womanism among Black and White women." Sept. 2003. Springer Link. 30 Oct. 2008
Constantine, and Madonna. "Cultural congruity, womanist identity attitudes, and life satisfaction among African American college women attending historically black and predominantly white institutions." Mar. 2002. American College personnel Association. 30 Oct. 2008
Dundes, Lauren, and Melissa J. Magnuson. "Gender Differences in "Social Portraits" Reflected in MySpace Profiles." Cyber Psychology & Behavior 11 (2008): 239-41.
Hare-Mustin, Rachel T. Making a Difference : Psychology and the Construction of Gender. Ed. Jeanne Marecek. New York: Yale UP, 1992.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Displaced Iraqis: A Crisis Unleashed--Visual Advocacy Project
Imagine yourself living in the home you do right now and have a comfortable life. All of a sudden, you lose all of your possessions in one day. Your country has been invaded and chaos is everywhere. Your neighbors have lost their loved ones, they have lost their jobs, and they have lost faith in their land. Instead of fighting against the occupying force, they turn against their own people. They begin to kidnap and force people out of their homes, threaten lives, and turn to weapons to avoid the feeling of inferiority. Sadly, this is all done for money. Yet according to a BBC report, “Iraq’s proven oil reserves of 112 billion barrels are the world’s second largest, behind Saudi Arabia.” Despite all of Iraq’s wealth, the people are being driven out of the country.
This has been life for many Iraqis due to the invasion in 2003. Today, around thirteen percent of the population is displaced; of whom 2,256,000 Iraqis are internally displaced, around 1.4 million in Syria and 750,000 in Jordan, and the rest are displaced in neighboring Arab countries and around the world (Displaced Iraqis around the World).
The thirty-second video I have created depicts scenes of this chaos. I chose a simple layout to maintain a focus on the pictures. The opening of the video is a map of Iraq’s oil fields. It is sad to see my country suffer this way, but what is even more heartbreaking and disappointing, is to have such great wealth in our oil fields and the country keeps on suffering the way it is. Thus I chose to place the map in the beginning to give the viewer an understanding that despite the war, Iraq is still rich. Yet the lack of investments, motivation, and the fear that is instilled in people’s hearts, is what holds the country back from overcoming the war.
These past five years went by at the cost of Iraq’s oil and blood. Will Iraq overcome this bloody nightmare? Will the children, who are growing up and witnessing this war, ever have the will and power to rebuild their country? I ask myself to this day; what happened to my land, my people, my beloved Iraq?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The Dilemma for Iraqi Refugees--Visual Advocacy Project
The after math of the "War on Terror" in Iraq has created true chaos in the country. Not only did civil conflicts arise between Iraqis within the same religion, but also the struggle and the will to survive. As an Iraqi-American, it hurts to see my own people struggling and suffering. Families are threatened to be kidnapped, girls molested, murdering intellectuals and women, and so on, are all problems that became popular in recent years. These conflicts left Iraqi families no choice but to leave their country behind and find somewhere safe. Today, millions of iraqis are refugees in other Arab countries, causing overpopulation, and many remain refugees within Iraq.
The above paragraph might leave you with a sad impression, however, it is hard to actually comprehend how terrible the situation is with words. Thus I chose this sensitive issue for my visual advocacy project to give a true glimpse of the terror, chaos, homelessness, and corruption that Iraqi refugees are living through.
I wish to capture incidents and moments of refugees within Iraq, and in host countries --especially Syria, Egypt, and Jordan. With further statistics and research, I will elaborate on population trends in host Arab countries and specific problems Iraqi refugees are suffering from. With that, I will then choose a photograph that depicts these problems.
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